Young smiles at Angel Tree party
Published: December 12, 2005
Olga Gonzalez tells her two granddaughters who call her “mami” that their father is in a program.
What the girls, 3 and 5, do not know is the “program” is behind bars.
Gonzalez, 41, was among more than two dozen family members who brought children to the Angel Tree party at Christ Church Cathedral on Chestnut Street yesterday. She is raising the girls while their father, her 22-year-old son, serves a four-year jail sentence for drug crimes.
The “Residents Encounter Christ” prison ministry program has been catering to children of incarcerated parents for more than a decade, said volunteer John A. TenBrook. Members of the 25-year-old ministry, comprised of about 10 local church groups, delivered gifts to the children’s homes until two years ago.
“You could tell they were probably not going to get much else,” said TenBrook.
But last year, the ministry decided to up the festivity factor, and bring families together for a party. Each child is “adopted” by a volunteer, who spends $20 on a clothing item and a toy. Children who attended were 16 and younger.
“We were able to fulfill all their wishes,” volunteer Emma Henry said yesterday. Party organizers provided sweets, refreshments, live music, games and a visit from Santa.
Gonzalez’s youngest granddaughter, Reylani, clambered onto Santa’s lap yesterday and stared into the man’s eyes. Her older sister, D’Asia, hovered close by.
“I think this is a wonderful thing to do for the children,” said Gonzalez of Springfield. It was not the first time she signed the girls up for an Angel Tree event. Two years ago, their mother also was incarcerated.
What began as forced merriment yesterday quickly changed to genuine joy as children danced around the church basement while a guitarist strummed and sang.
D’Asia’s eyes grew wide as she tore the wrapping off a “Doodle Mat” and a pair of pink snow boots. Reylani received a musical “Care Bear” and two pairs of “feetie” pajamas. The tag on each gift read: “Your daddy loves you.”
The national Angel Tree program was founded 20 years ago by former bank robber and safecracker Mary Kay Mahaffey, according to a Web site for the charity. The Alabama woman started the program after serving six years in federal prison. Gonzalez says she hopes she will not have to bring the girls to such an event again after her son’s release in 2008.
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